Clean up Your Act with a Debt Consolidation Loan

Credit card debt is like a messy closet. If you do nothing to pick up your clothes and do the laundry, the mess will spread like a California wildfire. Accumulating credit card debt is much the same way. If you don't take steps to clean it up, it will fester, and eventually stink worse than your closet's dirty laundry. However, there's a tool that can help with debt management and clean up the mess-the debt consolidation loan .

Tax deductible cleaning supplies
Most homeowners burdened with debt opt for a home equity debt consolidation loan. With this type of loan, you can borrow money based on the equity in your house to pay off all your credit cards. After you've zapped all the balances, your new loan will most likely be at a lower interest rate than what the credit card company charged, resulting in lower monthly payments. And because home equity loans are second mortgages, the interest payments are tax deductible (up to a $100,000 limit).

Two loans to suppress the mess
The second mortgage comes in two basic forms-the home equity line of credit (HELOC) and the home equity loan. The HELOC works like a credit card; you're granted a line of credit, and you don't pay interest until you actually make a withdrawal. It provides great flexibility, although its rates are variable and will increase if interest rates spike.

The home equity loan is a fixed-rate product with a set repayment term. This loan contains no surprises. You know what your monthly payment will be, and you don't have to worry about interest rates rising. However, if you need to tap more money, you will need to refinance the loan all over again.

There are plenty of lenders willing to help you clean up your credit card mess with either a bad credit mortgage or a debt consolidation loan. Shop vigorously. Look for the lowest closing costs and fees that you can find. But above all else, take action now. Messy debt won't go away by itself. Only you have the power to clean up your financial act.

Free Credit Reports: Will The 3 Major Credit Bureaus Really Give You A Free Credit Report!

Get your credit report online for FREE. Many financial advisors suggest that you periodically review your credit report for inaccuracies or omissions.

This could be especially important if you're considering making a major purchase, such as buying a home. Checking in advance on the accuracy of information in your credit file could speed the credit-granting process, clean credit is a must.

A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the credit bureau`s to provide you with free credit reports, at your request, once every 12 months.

Free Credit Reports, contain information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide credit bureau`s sell the information in your credit report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home. There are three nationwide credit reporting companies Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union.

Everyone in the Western states will first be able to order their free credit reports under the federal law beginning December 1, 2004. Consumers in other states will be able to order their copies according to a regional roll-out detailed below.

In recent months, consumers have asked the FTC for more details about their rights under the federal FCRA and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act, which established the free credit reports program. They’ve also asked about credit reports in general. Here are the most frequently asked questions and the answers.

Q: How do I know when I’m eligible to get a free credit report?

A: Soon free credit reports will be phased in during a nine- month period, rolling from the West Coast to the East beginning December 1, 2004. Beginning September 1, 2005, free credit reports will be accessible to all Americans, regardless of where they live.

Everyone in the Western states Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming can order their free credit reports beginning December 1, 2004.

Everyone in the Midwestern states Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin can order their free reports beginning March 1, 2005.

Everyone in the Southern states Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas can order their free reports beginning June 1, 2005.

Consumers in the Eastern states Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all U.S. territories can order their free credit report beginning September 1, 2005.

Q: How do I order my free credit report from the 3 major credit bureau`s?

A: You may order your free credit reports from each of the three nationwide credit bureau`s at the same time, or you can order from only one or two. The law allows you to order one free copy from each of the nationwide credit reporting companies every 12 months.

Q: What information do I have to provide to get my free credit reports?

A: You need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth.

If you have moved in the last two years, you may have to provide your previous address.

To maintain the security of your file, each nationwide credit bureau`s may ask you for some information that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment.

Each company may ask you for different information because the information each has in your file may come from different sources. The nationwide credit reporting companies will not send you an email asking for your personal information. If you get an email or see a pop-up ad claiming it’s from any of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies, do not reply or click on any link in the message it’s probably a scam.

Forward any email that claims to be from any of three credit bureau`s to the FTC’s database of deceptive spam at spam@uce.gov. Any of three credit bureau`s also will not call you to ask for your personal information.

Q: Why would I want to get a copy of my free credit reports?

A: You may want to review your free credit reports:

because the information it contains affects whether you can get a loan and how much you will have to pay to borrow money. to make sure the information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date before you apply for a loan for a major purchase like a house or car, buy insurance, or apply for a job. to help guard against identity theft.

That’s when someone uses your personal information like your name, your Social Security number, or your credit card number to commit fraud.

Identity thieves may use your information to open a new credit card account in your name. Then, when they don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. Inaccurate information like that could affect your ability to get credit, insurance, or even a job.

Q: How long does it take to get my report after I order it?

A: If you request your free credit reports online, you should be able to access it immediately. If you order your report by mail using the Annual Credit Report Request Form, your request will be processed and mailed to you within 15 days of receipt.

Whether you order your report online, by phone, or by mail, it may take longer to receive your report if the 3 major credit bureau`s needs more information to verify your identity.

There may be times when the major credit bureau`s receive an extraordinary volume of requests for credit reports. If that happens, you may be asked to re-submit your request. Or, you may be told that your report will be mailed to you sometime after 15 days from your request. If either of these events occurs, the 3 major credit bureau`s will let you know.

Q: Are there any other situations where I might be eligible for a free credit report?

A: Under federal law, you’re entitled to a free credit report if a company takes adverse action against you, such as denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment, and you ask for your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action.

The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the credit reporting company. You’re also entitled to one free credit report a year if you’re unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days; if you’re on welfare; or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft.

Otherwise, a credit reporting company may charge you up to $9 for another copy of your report within a 12-month period

How to Avoid Credit Card Late Fees

Everyone hates late fees and being late will cost you dearly these days. For some credit cards today, if you are late, you will have to shell out as much as $40 each time. This can put a nice sized hole in your pocket really quick.

Below, I will provide you with some tips and strategies on how to steer clear of those monstrous late fees. This will not only save you a lot of money in the long run, but it will also keep those money-hungry credit card companies, I won’t mention any names, from getting your hard earned money.

Just pay your bill. One of the easiest ways of avoiding a late fee is to just pay your bill each and every month by sending in a check, money order, or other type of payment to your respective credit card issuer. Just make sure you follow the numerous guidelines, which are usually outlined on the back of each credit card bill, on how to send in your payment. These guidelines must be followed precisely if you want to guarantee that your payment will go through on time.

Payment guidelines may include everything from a specific payment address to the time of day by which the payment must be received to be credited that day. Many issuers also stipulate that payments must arrive in the preprinted envelope sent to the customer.

While the Fair Credit Billing Act requires issuers to credit payments the day they are received, each issuer is allowed to set specific payment guidelines. If any of the guidelines are not met, the issuer can take as many as five days to credit the payment.

An on-time payment could easily become late during that five-day period, so follow those payment guidelines carefully.

Just skip the payment. One of the more rare types of methods you hear of are Skip-A-Payment services. You can use these services to skip mortgage, credit card, or loan payments. Usually you would need to get in contact with your bank just to see if you even qualify or not. There are also independent companies out there that will allow you to do the same thing, no matter what bank you are a member of. Depending on whose service you use, the fee’s associated with it vary. When you use these types of services make sure you know how much you will be charged then decide if it’s worth it or not.

Pay minimum due immediately. One of the best ways to prevent a late fee from being charged to your account is to pay the minimum due immediately. As soon as you receive your bill, send in the minimum due. This will always insure that your credit card issuer received payment. You can always send in more money later if you decide otherwise. This is a great way to avoid missing a payment because if you forget to send extra money you can guarantee that you won’t be charged a late fee because the minimum due has been already been paid.

Move your due date. Are your credit card bills due at a time of the month when you're running low on cash? Many people have trouble saving money, so when it comes time to paying their credit card bills, they don’t have any cash to do so. One particular solution is to move your due date. Many credit card issuers will allow you to set your own due date to meet your specific needs. If you have trouble saving money, move your due date to a time when you do have money, like as soon as you get your paycheck. If you time your credit card bill to come the same day you get paid, you will always have cash to pay the bill.

Pay by phone. If you are one of those people that wait to the last minute to do everything or if you just forgot to send in your credit card payment early enough, you could always pay by phone. This guarantees that your payment will be on time. Just supply the representative on the other line with your checking account number and your bank routing number, which is printed at the bottom of each check. Usually the routing number is first and the account number is second. A lot of issuers allow you to pay by phone and some will charge you a pretty penny for doing so. Fee’s can range from $5 to $20.

Use other express methods. If your bank does not offer a “pay by phone” service and you need to get your payment to your credit card issuer as soon as possible, I recommend either sending your payment in by express mail or by Western Union. Either one of these services can get your payment to your credit card issuer immediately. These express methods are costly, but it will always most likely be cheaper than any fees associated with being late. Make sure you send your express payment to the proper address. Many issuers have separate payment addresses for express payments. The last thing you want to do is slow the processing of an express payment by sending it to the wrong address.

Choosemyrewards: The New Chase Credit Card Rewards Management Tool

In previous articles, I have discussed travel, cashback, interest-savings, and merchandise rewards programs. These rewards specific cards are geared towards people who are grounded in which type of rewards they would like to earn.

For those who are indecisive or those having different rewards interests at different times of the year, should take an interest in the Chase choosemyrewards program. There are two different flagship cards involved in this program, the Chase Cash Plus Rewards Visa and the Chase Flexible Rewards Visa. Both cards offer 0% APR's for 1 year, and low APR's thereafter. Statistics show however, that the approval rate for the Chase Cash Plus Rewards Visa is higher.

Let's take a minute to explain the choosemyrewards program. Like any other rewards program, there is a point system for both cards. You receive one point for every dollar spent on purchases with each card. When these points are accumulated, you then have the option of redeeming them for a variety of goods or cash. Here is what distinguishes these two cards from all other programs. At any time, you may login to the choosemyrewards page on the Chase server to elect which type of rewards you would like to receive. Choices include merchandise, restaurant gift certificates, retail gift certificates, travel rewards, and with the Chase Cash Plus Rewards Visa up to 5% cashback on purchases.

Many other rewards programs make it very difficult for the consumer to redeem rewards, let alone choose them. Typically, you would have to call up the company, wait on hold to get in touch with the proper customer service representitive, and then listen to them give you your list of options before ultimately processing your decision. With the choosemyrewards program this is not the case. In the mail with your new Chase card, you will receive a login pin number and the web address where you may access your rewards account. After entering your pin number, you may view your points accrued and a list of all rewards options. You may then scroll through the list of options and choose the rewards you would like to receive.

It only gets better. Let's say you logout of your account after you choose your rewards and realize that maybe you didn't really want that gift certificate to Home Depot that you signed up for. Instead you'd like a gift certificate to your favorite restaurant. All you have to do is simply log back in and switch your reward redemption. This is a very simple and painless process and gives you, the consumer much more control.

Many people save their points until the end of the year, because they never expire, and redeem their points to give gift certificates as holiday presents. Others take a trip to a warm place during the winter. Others just simply trump in on a cashback award in the form of a check. Whatever your interest are, or if they change, enrolling in the choosemyrewards program will make your rewards management more user-friendly and thus, much easier

Bad credit loans, credit repair, filing bankruptcy, government grants

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How to Cut Credit Card Debt

Most Americans have too much credit card debt. Duh, we've all heard that
before, right? Only now its gotten a bit personal... right again? You
personally have too much credit card debt and its about to drive you crazy.

Well there IS hope so don't file those bankruptcy papers just yet. One
major thing you have to keep in mind is your creditor is probably very
willing to work with you. Its in their best interest to have you making
some payment versus no payment. So here are a couple points to help you deal
with your credit card debt.

The first thing you have to do is simply contact your creditor and let them
know your situation. Ask for a lower interest rate or a repayment plan.
You might not have thought of it because you're just naturally so polite but
its a very good strategy to be courteous at all times when negotiating with
your creditor. Polite, but firm. Come across as one who knows what you're
asking for and expect to get it. If you're not sure what you're asking for
in the first place you might consider a reputable credit counseling service.
There's a lot of great, honest organizations out there whose mission is to
help you work things out with your creditors.

Next you've GOT to stop using your cards. Cut them up, freeze them in a tub
of water, whatever you need to do to get them out of your wallet or purse,
do it! You simply can't keep adding to the problem by running the debt up
any higher. This is actually one of the hardest parts of cutting your
credit card debt. Its like you're addicted to spending money you don't
have. So go cold turkey and drop the habit.

Start paying the ones with the highest interest rate first and work from
there. How do you do that? Concentrate on those high interest rate cards
by paying more than the minimum balance each month. The minimum is just
designed to keep you on the hook longer anyway. The credit card companies
are in this business to make a profit and want to have you paying them for
years to come. Even a little extra each month makes a big difference in the
long run.

Lastly, keep your chin up and have a good attitude. Millions of folks just
like you have begun to cut their credit card debt by following the common
sense steps outlined above. You can do it too. Good luck.

Small Business Debt Collections Law Trap

When someone owes your small business money, you certainly feel like a victim. But did you know that if you aren't careful, you could break the law by trying to get the money back?

How to Break a Federal Debt Collection Law

You have a small business, and your bills are coming due soon. You could easily pay those bills if a few thousands dollars of overdue invoices were paid. It's time to give your clients a few friendly reminders…

1. You call up the biggest debtor at his home number. The debtor's girlfriend answers and you leave the message that you were just calling to remind her husband about the invoice you had sent last month.

2. You get into an argument over the phone with the next debtor. In the heat of the moment, you say you're referring the debt to you attorney--when in reality, you know you can't afford to do that.

3. It's getting late--in fact, it's already after 9pm. But you know that debtor number 3 tends to stay up quite late, so it's practically midday for him. So, you cheerfully give him a call and remind him about the invoice of a couple of months ago.

Congratulations, you may have just broken a federal law three separate times. Plus, you could be sued for it.

Collections Laws Finer Points

Have you figured out what collections law you broke yet? It's the Fair Debt Collections Practice Act (FDCPA), the federal law for collections. Meant to protect consumers from harassment, it has a clear list of things you can't do. Let's look at what you did wrong in the last example:

1. Never tell someone other than the debtor that you are calling about a bill. You can, of course, leave a message that you called. You can even call someone simply to find out if they know if a hard-to-reach debtor has moved house. But you cannot under any circumstances let on that they owe money. Simply leave your name and phone number as with any other "call me back" telephone message.

2. Never claim to be involving an attorney when you are not. Of course, this might seem like a soft area of the law, since intentions are fuzzy. But, for instance, if it's clear that suing to recover the debt would cost as much as the debt itself, your bluff will be obvious in retrospect. To be on the safe side, don't ever claim to have involved your lawyer.

3. Never call before 8 am or after 9 pm, unless you have the explicit permission of the debtor. But unless that permission is in writing, you're safer not calling during those hours, anyway.

Unfortunately, not every aspect of the law is as straightforward as this case. For instance, the law is only supposed to apply to consumer collections, not business collections. But with home business and telecommuting blurring the line between work and home, you're better off following the law's dictates in every case.

Plus, the law has numerous other protections for debtors--or traps for collectors, depending on your point of view.

Feeling daunted? Before you give up on ever seeing your money again, consider outsourcing your over-aged accounts receivables to a professional collections service. After all, there's no law saying you should let customers rob you.

Please note this article is not intended to give legal advice and may not be complete or up to date with the most current collection laws changes.

Financial Woes - Consider a Debt Management Company

You've been working yourself silly for years and yet... you still have no savings and the pile of unpaid bills seems to grow each and every month. You have creditors breathing down your neck - calling and sending you letters so much that you're afraid to answer the phone or pick up your mail... it's a difficult and stressful pill to swallow.

Sound familiar? Unfortunately, many people who are saddled with debt seem to be under the delusion that everything will eventually go away if they just ignore the situation. Therefore, they ignore the calls they receive from creditors and simply stop opening their mail. Not only is this living in denial but it's the equivalent to financial suicide and will only extend and exacerbate the problem the longer it continues.

Fortunately, debt management companies abound and with the advent of the internet it's easier than ever to contact them. It's simply a matter of researching the most suitable debt management company that you feel the most comfortable with.

Securing the services of a debt management company is not something that should scare you, given the fact that you are not in control of your finances anyway. As a result, it may be time for you to embrace the opportunity to use their services to assist you in solving your financial woes.

That being said, take in all the information they can provide and use it to educate yourself about debt and work with them to develop a plan and set a realistic time frame to take pay your off your debt.

When it comes to choosing a debt management company that will effectively cater to your needs… do your due diligence and ask as many questions as you need to, in order to feel comfortable. Learn what they have to offer and what it will cost you to use their services.

A debt management company should be able to come up with various plans on how to handle your current financial difficulties but you must be open-minded and realistic. It probably took you years to put yourself behind the financial eight-ball and so the process of pulling yourself out of the hole you've dug will also take some time and may at times, be a bit painful.

In many instances, debt management companies can offer financial plans and terms that will allow you to reduce the time it takes to pay down your debt. This is an extremely practical way for you to handle your finances and hopefully it will finally put you back on track to financial wholeness.

Simple things like getting a part-time jobs, starting a home-based business, as well as making small sacrifices, such as reducing impulse buying and only purchasing necessities until you've paid off your debt will save you hundreds of dollars per month that you can put towards paying off your debt.

When it comes down to it, if you are willing to make a few changes and pay attention to how you spend your money, in many instance it's not a difficult as it may currently appear to overcome debt. But if you stray and go back to the same practices that got you into debt in the first place, you'll find yourself sinking back into the black whole of debt. Regardless of the plan and ideas a good debt management company can show you, if you are not willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes, no plan or no amount of expertise from them will make one bit of difference.

Get Out Of Debt Faster With Debt Stacking

Each month you pay the minimums and although you KNOW you've got a handle on it - you are not charging your credit card or accumulating new debts anymore - it seems that you will be paying the minimum fees forever.

Did you know that HOW you pay your debts can affect how soon you will finishing paying them off - even if you keep paying the same amount for debt every month? Of course you might be able to get a consolidation loan, but if you're not eligible or are not interested then there are several other things you can do.

It's not always the easiest to figure out the mathematics, but there are three steps to quicker debt relief - guaranteed.

STEP ONE - Create a list.

List your smallest debts first followed by your largest high-interest debts (credit card) and then your largest low-interest debts (Lines of credit and taxes).

Plan to pay the minimums on all debts with these goals in mind:

STEP TWO - Small bills first.

They may not be the highest interest, but every bill that you are paying some interest on means you are usually only paying minimal amounts on the principal. Multiple debts are also a sure way to bring your spirits down. Paying off small debts first is a quick way to start checking them off - and freeing your mind.

STEP THREE - Move the payments along.

When one debt is paid add the funds to the next debt. For example, say you're making $75 payments to a small debt. When the debt is cleared add the $75 to the next debt on your list. If the next debt had a minimum payment of $100, you will now pay $175 until it is paid off. When that one is finished, take the $175 and add it to the next payment and so on.

STEP FOUR - Save the cash!

Don't forget that when your debts are cleared you have set yourself up for a better financial future. The best way to take advantage of your new situation is to use all the money you were spending on debts and start investing or saving it every month.

With this strategy your debts will clear faster meaning you will pay less interest, you will see progress as you clear small debts first, and you will not be tempted to use the funds for personal use instead of debt repayment.

It is a worthwhile goal to get out of debt. Seeing that goal come sooner and teaching yourself discipline sets you up for a brighter financial future. You OWE yourself that!

Canadian Debt Consolidation

Life throws people a number of challenges often on a daily basis and unfortunately, some of those are financial challenges. The loss of a job, an illness and many other situations can make paying off loans difficult to do. Sometimes people simply overextend themselves with their financial commitments and find that they can’t always make even the minimum payment on all of their loans. People from all over the world are finding that they are running into similar financial situations including Canada. Canadians as other nationals have the option of trying to qualify for Canadian debt consolidation.

A Canadian debt consolidation loan is when a bank or other lending establishment loans an individual enough money to pay off his or her loans in order to repay back the entire amount in a single payment often at a competitive interest rate. The creditor gives the companies that are owed money, in effect taking over the loan in order to help lower monthly payments and possibly improve the credit score of a person. Not every Canadian debt consolidation loan is offered at the same interest rate, so it is a good idea to look around for the best deal.

Another type of Canadian debt consolidation is where an individual contacts a debt consolidation specialist who in turn contacts the individual’s creditors in order to make arrangements for lower payments or interest in order to satisfy the debt faster for less money. The purpose of this type of Canadian debt consolidation is to help individuals who can still make lower payments on their debts and to avoid having to file for bankruptcy. As with the Canadian debt consolidation loan, the outcome of using a debt consolidation service is to be able to make a lower monthly payment in order to satisfy debt but a good debt consolidation service allows a person to do so without taking on another debt.

A Canadian debt consolidation service works because instead of losing all of their money to bankruptcy or simply never being repaid at all, most lenders want to be able to get a good portion of their money back through a debtors payments. A Canadian debt consolidation service is trained to deal with lenders and lenders are comfortable dealing with a debt consolidation service. If an individual were to attempt to make the same type of arrangements a Canadian debt consolidation does on his or her own it isn’t likely that he or she will meet with much success.

When approaching any type of Canadian debt consolidation service, make sure that the terms of either the consolidation loan or consolidation agreement are acceptable and possible. It doesn’t make sense to get into another loan situation if it isn’t possible to make payments. If a Canadian debt consolidation service arranges to make lower payments on existing debts, make sure that those payments can be made.

Successfully using a Canadian debt consolidation service can make dealing with financial issues much easier on most individuals and can also help him or her to avoid filing for bankruptcy. The benefits of using a Canadian debt consolidation service are immeasurable and can even mean an bringing past due accounts to a current status and improving a credit score over time. If financial obligations are beginning to feel overwhelming or if bankruptcy is being considered, it would be a good idea to look into Canadian debt consolidation and see if it would feasible.

Legal Debt Collection For Local Businesses

If a customer owes your local business money, it's hard not to feel angry, like you want to do anything possible to get your money back. But the days of going all out to collect on a debt over.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, designed to protect consumers from harassment or intimidation, sets firm limits on what you can do to collect a debt from a consumer. The federal debt collections law even prohibits practices that were once standard, and that you might not consider harassment at all.

Besides, as a local business, you have an even more powerful reason to be especially careful about legal debt collection issues. You have something much more valuable at stake than a lawsuit: your business's reputation in the community.

Legal Debt Collection Best Practices

There are plenty of articles on the web that lay out in plain English what the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act says you can and cannot do. For instance, this article: [link to small business debt collection law cheat sheet] Just to give you some idea of the law's requirements, here are some of the biggest:

1. No telling any third party about the debt (except collection bureaus, collection agencies, or the debtor's attorney).

2. No calling on the telephone 9 pm - 8 am, or calling repeatedly in a way that is annoying.

3. No postcards or envelopes that mention the debt.

4. No threats to take actions you cannot or will not really take, such as seizing property, in the case of an unsecured debt.

5. No misrepresenting yourself (e.g., "Hi! This is the Publisher's Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. May I speak to John?").

6. No paying down the debt with payments the customer has directed be applied to other debts

Tips and Tricks for Legal Debt Collections

With all these limits on what you can do to collect a debt, what can you do legally?

1. Speak with the debtor personally on the telephone; most likely he or she wants to pay but is in over his or her head. Begin by asking what circumstance has kept him or her from paying. Offer to set up a repayment plan.

2. You should both send letters and make telephone calls. Many people will only respond to one or the other.

3. Document every part of the collections process. Take notes for each call and keep a copy of each letter. If the debt does ever go to court, you will have proof you acted legally.

4. Look into reporting the debt to credit bureaus. If you can, and are willing to do it, you can tell the debtor that not paying will impact his credit rating.

5. Best tip of all: hand over the job to a dedicated collection agency. Small business debt collection services start at as little as $20 per debt.

The fight to get paid is a fight no business should have to involve itself in. Unfortunately, debt collections are a part of business. Just make sure that for your local business debt collection law is followed to the letter, or legal proceedings may become part of your business, too.

Small Business Debt Collection Law Cheat Sheet

In your small business debt collection laws will eventually become important, as your debt grows and some clients do not pay.

To collect small business debts legally, you must first send a written notice that collections have begun, within five days of first contacting the debtor for collections (for instance, within five days of calling on the telephone). The letter must include dispute instructions.

Small Business Debt Collection Laws Forbidden Practices

* Collect any amount beyond the actual debt, unless you really can do so legally.

* Continue collections on a debt if the debtor has disputed the debt, unless you provide the debtor with written proof.

* Continue contacting the debtor if within 30 days of first contact, the debtor disputes the debt.

* Credit a payment the debtor has made to a non-disputed debt to a debt the debtor has disputed.

* Deposit a post-dated check before the post-date.

Small Business Debt Collections Laws: What You Can't Say

* Give a false name.

* You are an attorney or government representative, if you are not.

* You have an attorney working for you or that you are going to assign the case to an attorney, if you really do not.

* The debtor has committed a crime, unless you are 100 ure they have.

* You work for a credit bureau, if you really do not.

* The debt is more or less money than it actually is.

* You are sending or have sent legal forms when you really did not.

* You are sending or have sent papers that are not legal forms, if they really are legal forms.

* The debtor will be arrested--no one is arrested for nonpayment of debts anymore.

* You will seize, garnish, attach, or sell the debtor's property or wages, if you do not really intend to or cannot legally do so (and unless the debt is secured with collateral, you probably cannot).

* You will sue or take other legal action, if you do not really intend to, or are not legally able to do so.

Small Business Debt Collection Laws Forbidden Third-Party Disclosures

Never:

* Give any credit-related information that is not 100
ccurate.

* Tell anyone other than the debtor that you are collecting a debt.

* Telephone any number other than the debtor's more than once.

Small Business Debt Collection Phone Calls

Never:

* Call after 9 pm or before 8 am.

* Forget to give your name and your company's name.

* Call repeatedly or in a way intended to annoy.

* Make a collect call.

* Make any threats.

* Use profane or obscene language.

* Leave a message that reveals this is a debt collection.

Small Business Debt Collection Mailing

Never send:

* Postcards.

* Envelopes or mailings with any reference to debt collection on the exterior.

* Anything that looks like an official, legal, or government document, if it is not.

Please note this page is not intended to give legal advice and may not be complete or up to date with the most current collection laws changes.

How do commercial debt reduction companies work?

Don’t stress it – commercial debt reduction companies are proven authorities in debt negotiation to reduce your commercial debt in the best way possible for you, especially when you’re least interested in the worst alternatives like Chapter 11.

The best debt negotiation companies are there for your small business or medium-sized company - the size of the companies involved is never an issue to these debt negotiation professionals. The heart of the matter is debt reduction to take your commercial debt through rough patches including recession that creates those limited dry spells in your cash flow.

Debt Negotiation Will Reduce Your Debt And Save Thousands Off Your Commercial Debt!

You know what’s best for your business or companies – and debt reduction companies know best how to get your business back on track. Companies across the country have chosen a debt reduction program to effectively structure their commercial debt.

Your debts can seem like an insurmountable obligation – and the most frustrating thing with commercial debt is that as hard as you work to succeed, your supplier companies demanding payment – or even larger factors like a bad economy - create bad credit issues that can be completely out of your control.

You know you offer one of the best products or services in the marketplace, and all you need to do is reduce your commercial debt, re-establish your credit rating and get your business back on track.

Debt reduction companies understand your hard work and best efforts, so you can depend on qualified counselors, CPA and legal pros in debt negotiation and debt reduction to put your debts on the firing block.

Debt Relief From Debt Consolidation

If you are up to your neck in debt, there may seem like there is no relief in sight. In fact this is not necessarily the truth. There are ways to take all of your stifling bills and roll them up into one neat package by using debt consolidation in two very popular forms Home Equity Loans, Refinancing Loans, and a Consolidation Credit Card. All of these instruments provide the debtor with one thing “relief” from the current debt by shrinking it down to a single manageable debt.

Using home equity to consolidate debts

One of the popular methods of debt consolidation today is the Home Equity Loan. What happens is that the debt is extinguished using the equity from a homeowner’s home. A loan is created outside of the mortgage in order to satisfy the debts. Should the homeowner default on the loan, their house is in jeopardy of being foreclosed upon if that loan is not satisfied with a specified amount of time.

Refinancing loans

People often consume the debt by rolling it into a new mortgage. This way the house costs more money to the borrower, but the debt is extinguished at close and the debt is neatly rolled away into the mortgage securely. Upon settlement of the loan, the debts are paid in full and satisfied. The clock on the mortgage is reset to day one.

Credit card consolidation

A low interest credit card is offered to the borrower to include any outstanding credit and loan balances. The interest rate is a low fixed rate for a period of up to one year, upon the year’s end it will resume at its normal rate. Upon acceptance and terms the account should be closed once paid in full and payments be made directly to the new credit card provider. Some people have been able to master paying off one credit card with another to keep the debt revolving and interest rates low. Some people fail to close out the previous creditors account and run them back up again as well.

All three of these options provide solid relief for the debt and help them reconstruct and manage their debt better.